2014, I'm ready for you :)

Every year, millions and millions of people make New Year's Resolutions to:

Go to the Gym

Get Healthier

Lose Weight

Take time for themselves

Go on Vacation

Try a new food

Keep their home cleaner

Be nicer to others

Get back into going to church

Etc. 

Instead of creating a list of resolutions, another bucket list, or a "things to do" list, I have decided work on a different category of my life every couple months. This is in an effort to become more well-rounded. It's self explanatory and with 2 months per category, I should at least be able to attempt each. 

Isn't this awesome?! 

You can download a copy for yourself by clicking HERE!

Below are some things you can do for each category. Remember: Goals are supposed to stretccchhh you as a person. They shouldn't be comfortable and will take practice/some getting used to. But that's why they are great! We get to experience a sense of accomplishment after completing them. 

Now go ahead and make goals for yourself. State what your goal is going to be. Then how you are going to accomplish it. And finally, chart your progress or check-in with yourself every once in a while. It will be fun and we can hold each other accountable! 

Also, I am a big fan of rewards after accomplishments. Maybe you deserve that massage you've been thinking about…but only after deep cleaning your entire home and cleaning out your dresser/closet?!

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Organization/Cleaning- Clear out your closets, bring clothes you don't wear to Goodwill, make a weekly chore list, give everything in your house a "home" or a special place so you're not scrambling to find things, deep clean your floors, fans and baseboards, etc, clean out your garage, organize your time (less time texting, playing phone games, facebooking, etc), file birth certificates, tax info, bills, etc.

Spiritual- Read your Bible daily, listen to sermons by your pastor (or go online, there are plenty available), be kinder to yourself, make a better effort at sincere prayer, stop gossiping, practice faith, keep a spiritual journal, meditate, look for the good in life, listen to uplifting music and watch uplifting movies

Physical- Workout X amount of minutes X many days a week, eat lots of greens, drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, go to bed on time, cut out desserts/sodas/junk, eat correct portions

Financial- Make a budget and stick to it, make a bin for all your bills, receipts, etc, cut extra costs, pay off any debt you may have, pay with cash, build up your savings account, get smart about where money goes

Selfless- Call up an old roommate, commit to talk to parents or siblings more, bring dinner to someone who is sick, just had surgery (or a baby!), was in the hospital, etc, reach out to someone who needs a friend, reach out to someone who has hurt your feelings, find a place in your community to volunteer

Your pick- could be an educational goal, career goal, family goal, a goal to use time more wisely, a repeat of one above, or maybe just a goal to survive.

Kudos to Danielle from La La La Love You for the great printable and category suggestions. 

Happy New Year, everyone! 

Cheers xoxo

The Gift of Life

Back in January of this year I said that I wanted to DONATE BLOOD as one of my "Things to do in 2013" goals. Well, folks...I did it! I made an appointment back in May but missed it (darn you, work). So, when I saw the mobil bus driving down the street and realized that I had my phone in my hand...I typed in the phone number that was painted as clear as day on the side of the bus, as it drove away. Great Marketing, American Red Cross!

The Giving: October 1, 2013 was the day. I had the appointment in my calendar and a reminder was set. I arrived at the mobil station on-campus at UCSB and signed in. Then I ate some peanut butter sandwich crackers- yum!, was ushered into a very small closet of a room to fill out paperwork and give my consent, had my vitals taken, and finally, while laying on a quite comfortable donation "bed", had both arms "tested" to see which was the winner. 

Congratulations, left arm, you win!

I was a little nervous to take pictures, so I snuck just a couple. The ladies taking my blood were so serious and made sure that I didn't move my left arm at all.

They hid the needle. It's pretty big. So hiding it is probably best. 

There's my blood. Just filling up the bags.  

And here was my view from inside the mobil bus that has been transformed into a mini hospital/blood and plasma donation site. 

I am a big advocate of doing what you can. If you aren't afraid of needles, give blood. If you can stand and pass out water, volunteer to work a race in town. If you can bend down and pick up trash, do that. If you can smile at someone as your paths cross, please do. If When you clean out your closet, donate the clothes you don't want/need anymore to a shelter or thrift store. 

Together, we can help each other and create the community we desire to live in. Ready, set, go! Be the change you want to see in the world. 

2013 "Resolutions"

I'm not one for resolutions because they usually don't work out 

(and we all know that I'm not the best with disappointment/failure). So, I've created a "Things To Do in 2013" list. My overall goal is to be a better person. I wake up each morning, say a prayer and declare that it will be a great day!

My List
1. Donate Blood. 
Once would be great, but more than once would be awesome! I've been in the country for a full year now and that's the only thing I was waiting for. And besides donating because it's the right thing to do, I need to find out my blood type!
2. Finish my Master's Degree. 
I haven't read this much since...well, since I can remember. I'm on track to finish in June. Pray that I can keep pressing forward and grind it out.
3. Sign up to donate bone marrow.
This has been on my "to-do " list for a couple years now. It might be painful and require a hospital stay, but it's the least that I can do for someone. We're talking life and death.
4. Read my Bible more, like daily.
I love devotionals and Bible Study's but haven't been in one for a few years. I've been thirsting for a good study so my friend and I went to the bookstore to search for a study we would both love. We found How to hear from God by Joyce Meyer and it's already been purchased and shipped. I can't wait to dig in and start our study.
5. Do all of those things (listed below) on a daily basis. My quest is to be a better person. And that's what I'm working on.

So there you have it. My New Year's Resolutions  
"Things To Do in 2013" list. 

P.S. I think I'm doing a great job on these things so far :)